The New York Giants were among the winners of the 2025 NFL Draft, although running back Cam Skattebo's selection has earned some criticism.
The New York Giants, by virtually all accounts, came away from the 2025 NFL Draft as winners. Landing a blue-chip prospect like Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter certainly helps that case, and rolling the dice on a first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart will inspire optimism, too.
However, not everyone is sold on the Giants’ haul, and in an exercise that examined each team’s “most questionable” selection, New York’s fourth-round pick took the brunt of CBS Sports’ skepticism.
The Giants picking Arizona State's Cam Skattebo earned post-draft criticism because of his lack of big-play ability.
“Skattebo is good in short-yardage situations because his determination will carry him across the threshold but there are questions about his top-end speed,” Josh Edwards wrote. “Can he be more than a role player? Given that there were some really talented running backs still on the board, I would have gone in another direction. Overall, I thought New York had a good draft.”
As Edwards notes, the biggest hole in Skattebo’s game is his long speed. Running just a 4.65-second 40-yard dash, the ability to hit the home run could define Skattebo’s game, or at least hold him back.
Where Skattebo may deserve more credit is in his projection as a role player. He’s a Day 3 pick – being a role player is fine!
With that said, Skattebo is a relatively safe projection to become a role player. Physicality plays in the NFL, and few backs in the 2025 class offer more of it than Skattebo. His physical tools, even with his subpar speed, dwarf Devin Singletary. That gives him easy access to playing time as a complement to Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Further, Skattebo can also keep himself afloat on passing downs, boasting an impressive feel for receiving out of the backfield and helping his chances of sticking around.
Still, it wouldn’t be fair to debate Skattebo’s selection here without an alternative. That comes naturally, though, by spending a first-round pick on quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Giants fans have every right to get excited about a possible franchise quarterback. The pre-draft consensus on Dart, however, listed him as a Day 2 selection; others had him even lower on their boards. Taking a prospect with such a vast range of outcomes is inherently questionable, even if it fills a more obvious need.
Regardless, both will have a chance to assert themselves as core pieces of New York’s future, potentially giving general manager Joe Schoen his second consecutive strong draft class.
